Staphylococcus aureus
Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium that commonly colonises human skin and mucosa (e.g. inside the nose) without causing any problems. It can also cause disease, particularly if there is an opportunity for the bacteria to enter the body, for example through broken skin or a medical procedure.
Image courtesy of K Hiramatsu
If the bacteria enter the body, illnesses which range from mild to life-threatening may then develop. These include skin and wound infections, infected eczema, abscesses or joint infections, infections of the heart valves (endocarditis), pneumonia and bacteraemia (blood stream infection). Staphylococcus aureus also produces toxins, which if the bacteria contaminate incorrectly prepared food can cause food poisoning and have also been linked with toxic shock syndrome. Some strains also produce another toxin called PVL, these tend to cause more severe disease.
Most strains of S. aureus are sensitive to the more commonly used antibiotics, and infections can be effectively treated. Some S. aureus bacteria are more resistant. Those resistant to the antibiotic meticillin are termed meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and often require different types of antibiotic to treat them. Those that are sensitive to meticillin are termed meticillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). MRSA and MSSA only differ in their degree of antibiotic resistance: other than that there is no real difference between them.
What's new
- 1 May 2013 Routine reporting results for the mandatory surveillance of MRSA bacteraemia and MSSA bacteraemia
- 3 April 2013: Surveillance of MRSA, MSSA and E. coli bacteraemia and Clostridium difficile infection; data from Independent Sector Healthcare Organisations (data up to September 2012)
- 1 April 2013: Introduction of the Post Infection Review (PIR) process for MRSA bacteraemia cases
- 14 March 2012: Quarterly Epidemiological Commentary: Trends in MRSA bacteraemia, MSSA bacteraemia, E. coli bacteraemia and C. difficile infection: data up to October - December 2012
- 17 August 2012: Voluntary surveillance of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia in England, Wales and Northern Ireland 2011
- 12 July 2012: Annual MRSA bacteraemia and MSSA bacteraemia data tables by acute Trust and Primary Care Organisation
- 6 January 2011: HPR news MSSA reporting
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Post Infection Review (PIR) for Meticillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
PIR process and guidance page
Added/updated: 9 April 2013
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